2020 Cardinals season preview: Banking on an offensive rebound

After returning to the postseason following a surprise NL Central division crown, the St. Louis Cardinals have done virtually nothing to ensure a repeat performance. In some cases, an "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" approach is logical, but the Cardinals' offense often struggled in 2019, and the team waved goodbye to Marcell Ozuna's big bat when he signed with the Atlanta Braves.

A lot is riding on the notion that players who produced underwhelming seasons - Paul Goldschmidt, Matt Carpenter, and Dexter Fowler - will return to form. There's very little margin for error, and while Carlos Martinez heading back to the rotation will be a welcome sight, he's struggled to stay healthy.

Still, the Cardinals did win the division, and some exciting talent is on their roster, with other promising youngsters about to graduate from the minors. If St. Louis plays to management's expectations, doubters will be eating plenty of crow come October.

2020 Breakdown

2019 record: 91-71 (1st in NL Central)
Payroll: $180,633,333
Projected record: 31-29 (3rd)
World Series odds: +1500
3-year trend: 2017 (3rd); 2018 (3rd); 2019 (1st)
Key addition: Kwang-hyun Kim
Key subtraction: Marcell Ozuna
Highest projected WAR: Jack Flaherty (1.4)
X-factor: Matt Carpenter
Prospect to watch: Dylan Carlson
Winter report card: F

Projected Lineup

Bench

*Bold indicates player acquired during offseason

Fowler is on thin ice despite the two years remaining on his contract. If his offensive struggles continue, the door could open for O'Neill to get an extended look as a starter.

With the NL playing with a DH for 2020, Carpenter might get to rest, and Dylan Carlson could eventually slide into the lineup as a regular. Bader, whose bat evaporated in 2019, may be the safer option due to his defensive prowess in center field.

Rotation

Flaherty was perhaps the NL's best starter in the second half last season. Over his last 16 starts, the 24-year-old posted a 0.93 ERA with a 0.70 WHIP while allowing more than two runs in only one outing.

The rest of the team's rotation is a little less enticing. Hudson was also solid last season, but his 4.43 BB/9 isn't conducive to success going forward. Even though Hudson posted a respectable 3.35 ERA, his 4.94 FIP suggests he may have benefited from some good luck.

With the delayed start to the season, Mikolas has recovered from his forearm injury and will open the campaign in the rotation alongside Martinez, who spent 2019 pitching in relief.

Bullpen

The Cardinals' bullpen has been dealt a few blows recently, with Jordan Hicks opting out of the season, and Gallegos, his 2019 replacement as the club's closer, hitting the injured list on the Saturday before the regular season.

Despite landing on the IL, Gallegos hasn't been ruled out for Opening Day. However, a report on Monday pointed to Kim as the likely closer to start the season, indicating Gallegos may in fact miss some more time.

Key injuries/Absences

Projected WAR/ERA source: FanGraphs)